St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-07-07
"AND WHAT WOULD YOU DO 9''
Chicago AdUdnce.


The question went around the circle,
but for a moment no one answered,
Mrs. BOnny, our bright-faced hostess.
81 put it again, while knitting, crochet
and needle-wOrk dropped from the fin
gers that held them.
"If your husband, father or brother
8 were taken away or were unable to
support you, what would you do 7"
"What would you do, Mrs. Boyd ~
s addressing the eldest of our number.
"What | would do l cannot say. Cir
cumstances wOnld have to determine.
THAT I'd do something L know full
well, and so | think do you all"
OF that we were all sure, for though
Mrs. BOyd's sweet, pale face with its
puffs of "holy hair" was always sug-
gestive of a calm and quiet spirit,
. "fond of peace and far from strife" or
hustle or activity, we all knew she was
F. the one who devised the plans, shout
lered the responsibility and assisted
in carrying out the details of all our
. benevOle and social projects her
soft white hand we knew we'll could
and would deal hard blows for neces-
sity's sake, should there be necessity.
"But L can tell you what one wO-
man did," Mrs. Boyd continued. "She
was left as one of us may be left to-
morrow, by turn of fortunes wheel,
to face the world for herself. Her
home had been one of wealth, her hos
/ pitality unbounded, her. entertainments
perfect. what can | do to support
myself and children p she asked de-
spairingly. what can you do best y
asked her friend. II nothing, unless,
she added with bitter laugh, unless
it be to give dinner parties "Then
5 give dinner parties,' was the answer.
How many ladies here in this very city
have envied you your skill in plan
ming, experimenting and carrying
through an elaborate dinner How
many of them would pay you your
own price if you would stand behind
the scenes and do for them what you
can do so we'll
at was hard, but common sense
whispered you can do it, And do it
she did in her own sweet, lady-lke
way. She called upon her friends, up
on acquaintance and strangers-ladies
who were accustomed to give more or
less elaborate entertainments - told
them of her purpose, and before three
months had passed she had more en-
gagements than she could fulfill. She
would call a day or two before the en-
+ tertainment, consult and suggest, then
do her own marketing, make her own
purchases, and on the eventful day, in
4 her own Incompatible way, serve up a
dinner fit for prince"
f "That reminds me of Cousin Betty g
chicken-pies," remarked Mrs. Bright.
"Tell u.s." cried the rest.
"She, too, had to ask EAnd what
III I l. Ill. Il = - L.
dy who superintendent the WOman's
Il Exchange. Some one seemed to have
been ahead of her in every line, and
she sighed for n field of work not al
ready filled and in which she was Ca
pable of working. 'For what did your
friends praise you most when you kept
Fl house, asked the lady in charge. 'FOr
my chicken pies" answered Betty,
with alaugh. Bring me chicken-pie
then, hot, tomorrow at half-past elev-
4 en-, and I'll sell it for you"
"That first pie appeared, smoking,
on time, and at one o'clock p. M, the
empty dish was returned to the WO-
mans Exchange, with this written or
der: "Send me just such pie each
Wednesday this year, unless a contra
~ order is received
"The contrary order never came,
and as this Wednesday," laughed Mrs.
Bright, Eat AZ Westminster street they
have doubtless dined, as they have for
five years past, on one of Betty's chick
en-pics. She buys her chickens now
by the hundred, has orders weeks
ahead, and sends them all over the
city. Her latest device in that direc-
ton is to make them in tiny pans,
holding just enough for two people,
and next time you pass HOffman's,
advise you to go in and order One."
''That reminds me of Molly Berry
and the work she has found to do,
said Mrs. BascOmb. "She was always
\ n delicate girl, though quick and taste
full and very nimble fingered. She
earns her living to-day by busting
bric-a- brac for dozen families. 1t is
no easy matter to keep in dustless or
4 der modern drawing-roOm with it's
costly and fragile ornaments, SO she
goes from house to house, arranges,
dusts and cares for all these pretty
things, makes fresh bouquets, and
leaves her own dainty touches on ev-
& erything. Best of all, Molly's patrons
s. are her friends and love and respect
her lust as we do, who have known
her all our lives"
Said Mrs. Boyd, "There's Polly
Bone, the washer-wOman's daughter
who is deformed, you know, and could
never do hard work. She earns q
good living cleaning lamps. Goes
from house to store, from store to of
fee, carries her own pail, cloths and
shears, and leaves everything shining
/ am tOld.'
ado you remember the fish-bal
man 7" asked Mrs. Brown.
'1NOPn
'Well, | do for L was visiting you
Mrs. Boyd, the day he first called. And
it was you who set him up in business,
though dare say never let your left
hand know anything about it. 1t wa;
a rainy day, and the poor man had q
pitiful story to tell of want and nc
work. He did not beg, but offered fOI
sale a dozen fish-balls, so daintily
moulded that Mrs. Boyd bought then
on the spot, fried half of them and
started off in the rain with her samples
to take orders for them. You needn'
shake your finger at me, Mrs. Boyd,
carried "A OrudDa aUainsf xrnr, oil thaas